Long-term Rhino Tanks employee Ron James is still the classic Aussie salesman, covering large swathes of territory a year with his Lancashire heeler Jorja at his side.

Mr James travels 80,000km a year across four states in his role as rural sales account manager, attending dozens of field days, including AgQuip.

The rural water storage company has been acquired by global giant Kingspan Environmental, but Mr James said it was business as usual for him and his loyal companion. 

The Barwon Heads, Victoria-based Mr James adopted Jorja as a rescue dog in 2010.

Despite the fact he’d thought it wouldn’t suit him to have a dog given his gruelling work schedule, she ended up being a valuable member of the Rhino, and now Kingspan, team.

Jorja has become something of an identity in her own right on the field day circuit.

Mr James said that no matter how interested customers were in the Australian-made Kingspan Rhino rural water tanks, or Rhino’s acquisition by the global sustainable water/energy solutions provider, their questions and feedback usually came after their inquiries about Jorja.

Mr James said that his job – and Jorja’s – remained the same. 

“It’s the same Australian-made product and customers are dealing with the same people,” he said. 

“It’s the same people I deal with, the same product I deal with, and there’s a few more resources at our disposal, which just makes things easier … 

“I’ve lived in the country for a lot of my life; I relate to country people and enjoy talking to them, and I’m not selling them a product but providing a solution to a problem.”